Carrying case



July l1, 1950 A. J. BRADFORD CARRYING CASE Filed Aug. 9, 1946 PatentedJuly 11, 1950 l CARRYING CASE .poration of Illinois ApplicationAugust 9,1946, Serial No. 689,364

4. Claims.

j This invention relates tocarrying cases in general and moreparticularly to carryingy cases which may be utilized for carryingarticles such as projection machinesY and the like. I The principal-objectofl this invention 1s to "provide an improved carrying case whichis rigid and strong in construction, which isV light in weight, which isconvenient to handle and which is readily and inexpensively assembled.

In accordance with this invention the carrying case is formed from apair of end pieces, a housing piece, and a bottom piece. The end .piecesmay be provided around theirtop and sides with marginal grooves andendflanges cn the housing piece may fit into l the` marginal grooves to litthe pieces together. double flanges may be provided on the housing pieceto add strengththereto and the bottom flanges may enter opposed recessesin the end 4pieces to lock the pieces together. The bottom piece may besecured against the end pieces and the housing piece by claspssecured to`the bottom piece and the end' pieces and the carrying case may becarried by a'handle on the top of the housing piece. The artiolesto becarriedmay be secured, if desired, to the bottom piece.

Further objects of this invention-reside in the details ofconstructionof the component parts of the carrying case and the cooperativeorelationbetween the component parts.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled inthe art upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims, and

drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a top planvvievv of the carrying case;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View thereof;

Fig. 4 is a partial enlargedsectional view vtaken r substantially alongltheline 4 4 of Fig. 2;

:FigV 5 is an enlarged-partial perspective View showing the cooperationbetween one side of the housing piece and an end piece;

1 Figs. .6 and 7 are enlargedpartial perspective views showing thecooperation betweenthe other 4 side of the housing pieceand an endpiece.

may belprovided withsuitablelegs orsupports lThe top and side .edges`ofthe end pieces I!) and II- are `provided Withmarginalgrooves I6 forreceiving flanges I'I formed on the housing piecer I2. Thus therhousingpiece I2, forming the top and sides ofxthe. carrying case, fits the endpieces Il] through the flange and groove con- BottomV nection wherebylongitudinal movement ofthe I end-pieces I6 and II with respect to thehousing piece I 2 is; prevented.

--Each of the end pieces I0 and II is provided lwith-opposed recesses i6and 26 atthe bottom thereof. A continuous double flange-is provided atthe bottom ofone side of the housingpiece Y I2l and this double flangeincludes a horizontal portion 2i and al vertical portion 2;v The horiAzontal' portion 2l of the double ange engages the bottom of the endpieces I6 and-I I 4andthe vertical portion 22 engages Within therecesses Il@ of the end pieces Il! and II. YThe horizontal portion 2l ofthe double flange in engagingA the `bottom of the end pieces II) and IIyprevents the housing member from being lifted 'upwardlyJ with respect tothe end pieces IE? Yand II and-the vertical portion 22 engaging withinthe recesses I9 prevents the lowerportion of the 'housing piece I2 `frommovingl outwardly with respect to the end pieces I6.

The other side of the housing lpiece I2 pro vided with a double flangecontained between'the This doubleciiange inn cludes a horizontal portion23 and a Vertical portion 24. This same side of the housing piece I2 isprovided with apair of ears 25 at the end pieces Il] and I I and theseears are,'in the process oi assembly, bent around the bottom of' the-endpieces I0 and II ancl'intoy the recesses 20, as

shown in Figs. 6-and 7 so that the ears 25, after bending intheassemblmforln continuations of the double bottom ange.

In assembling the housing piece i2 and the end pieces I6 and II, theverticalv` portions 22 of the double flange along one side of thehousing piece I2, are inserted in the recesses I9 and the anges I6 areinserted in the grooves II.` -The double flange onthe other -side of thehousing piece I2 then lines up with the bottoms of-the end pieces IIJand II with-the ears 25 depending,

as shown in Fig. 6. The ears 25 are then bent up l into the recesses 26,as shown in Fig. 7, and as a result therhousing piece `I2 Ais securelylocked to the end ypieces IIland I I. VThe double flanges oneither sideof the housing piece I2, -infaddiM -tion to assisting -in-locking thepiecesv together,

also adds strength and rigidity tothe Ihousing Y piece' I2.

The v`bottom piece i3 may be securedv against -f the end .pieces I6 vandII `and the housing-piece i I2 by suitable clasps 27, one portion ofwhich is secured tothe bottom. piece I3 and -theether Y portion to theend pieces -i Iland I|.- AsshOfWn,

the bottom piece 3 may have a substantially nat marginalportionfend'parts of which are 'abutted by the lower edges of the endwalls, which are shownl as straight, and side parts of which j areabutted by -theiirst or horizontaliiange --parts 23.= It willbesseenthatinfeflecteachfside of the housing piece I2 terminates in aU-shaped structure, an arm of which, formed by the outer reach of thehousing piece I2, contacts an outer side edge of each of the two endwalls, a web of which contacts limited portions of the lower straightedges of the end walls adjacent such side edge, while a second arm,formed by the second or vertical ange portion 24 or the ear part 25thereof, enters the recesses in the two end walls and contacts thesurfaces thereof that are toward but spaced inward from the side edgesthat the iirst arm contacts.

A handle 29 is carried by brackets 30 which, in turn, are suitablysecured to the housing piece i2 by means such as rivets.

With the clasps 2l securing the end pieces I0 and Il to the bottom piece|31, the carrying case may be carried by the handle 29. In order to gainaccess to the interior of the carrying case, the clasps 21 may beunclasped and the housing portion l2 and end pieces I0 and H lifted fromthe bottom piece I3. If desired, the articles to be carried within thecarrying case, such as a projecting machine, may be secured to thebottom piece.

By reason of the above construction there is provided an improvedcarrying case which is rigid and strong in construction and yet light inweight, which is convenient to handle and manipulate, and which isreadily and inexpensively assembled.

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with a particularstyle of carrying case, it may be readily utilized in other types ofcases such as suitcases, wardrobe cases, trunks, etc., wherein bothhalves of such cases may be formed of pieces similar to the end pieces Iand H and the housing piece l2, with both halves being suitably securedtogether by hinges, clasps, and the like.

While for purposes of illustration one form of this invention has beendisclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled inthe art upon reference to this disclosure, and,`

therefore, this invention is to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims and prior art.

I claim as my invention; l. In a carrying case, the combination of apair of opposed end pieces, each provided around its top and sides witha marginal groove and eachv i provided with facing recesses at thebottom, and a housing piece for-ming'the top and sides and provided withend flanges fitting in the marginal groove and provided on one side witha continuous double bottom flange engaging the bottoms of the end piecesand entering opposed recesses and provided on the other side with adouble bottom iiange between the end pieces and with ears adjacent theend pieces engaging the bottoms of the end pieces and, entering therecesses and forming continuations of the bottom ilange.

2. In a carrying case element that has an open side, and that comprisesa pair of end walls each having a groove extending around its edge onthree sides, and a generally U-shaped housing piece extending betweensaid end walls, and about said three sides and having at its endinturned iianges engaged in said grooves; a flange structure extendingalong each edge of said housing piece between the end walls andcomprising a first portion extended generally inward and contacting aportion of the fourth sides of said end walls and a second portionextending from the inner margin of said rst portion in angular relationthereto and away from said fourth edge of each end wall and said rstiiange portion; each said end wall having acljacent but spaced inwardfrom each of its side edges a recess into which said second portion isextended in contact with a lateral surface at the side of the recesstoward the adjacent side edge of said end wall.

3. In a carrying case, a cover structure for attachment to and releasefrom a closure piece that has a flat marginal portion, said coverstructure comprising a pair of spaced end walls each having a straightedge for abutment with end parts of such marginal portion, and threeother edges including opposite side edges and an intervening edge andabout which three edges a groove extends, and a housing member havingside and intervening reaches and provided at opposite ends with a iiangeengaged in said groove; an improved edge and interlocking arrangement ofsaid housing member and end Walls, comprising a fiat first iiangeportion extended inward frorn each margin of said housing member forface to face contact with a side part of the marginal iiat portion ofthe closure piece, a second flange portion extending angularly from theinner margin of each said iirst ange portion, each said end wall .beingprovided adjacent each end of its said straight edge with a recessextending from said straight edge and spaced from the adjacent side edgeby structure having a surface that is in contact with the part of saidsecond iiange portion that is extended into said recess.

4. In a carrying case, a cover structure for attachment to and releasefrom a closure piece having a iiat marginal portion, said coverstructure comprising a pair of spaced end walls each having a straightedge for abutment with end parts of such marginal portion, and threeother edges including opposite side edges and an intervening edge andabout which three edges extends a groove, and a housing member havingside and intervening reaches and provided at opposite ends with flangesengaged in said grooves; an improved edge and interlocking arrangementof said housing member and end walls, comprising a generally U-shapedstructure at each lateral `margin of said housing piece, such structurecomprising an arm contacting a side edge of each end wall, a webcontacting a part of said straight edge of each end wall, and a secondarm having each of its ends entered into a recess that has a surfacespaced inward from the side edge of the end wall that is contacted bysaid first arm and that extends from said straight edge, said second armcontacting said surface.

ARTHUR J. BRADFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 164,043 Rehfuss June 1, 1875512,091 Bennett Jan. 2, 1894 972,449 Heller Oct. 11, 1910 1,074,344Bekkering Sept. 30, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 471,725Great Britain Sept. 9, 1937

